2023 recipient
Samiksha Patel is the successful recipient of the 2023 scholarship with her project ‘A conservation genomic study of threatened limestone populations of Senecio matatini (Asteraceae)’. Samiksha is a Masters student at the University of Canterbury and her project is supervised by Pieter Pelser (University of Canterbury), alongside Peter Heenan and Rob Smissen of Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research.
2021 recipients
Debra Wotton (Moa’s Ark Research), Ben Gibbons, Pieter Pelser & Dave Kelly (School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury) - ‘Seeking alleles from lost populations of the rare Canterbury endemic, Armstrong’s whipcord hebe’. You can read updates on this research project in our newsletter here and here (PDF, 4.72 MB).
2011 recipient
Lepidium oleraceum seed capsule. Photo: Jeremy RolfeThe recipient of the David Given threatened plant scholarship in 2011 was awarded to Master of Science student Esther Dale from Auckland University. Her research explores the relationship between Cook’s scurvy grass (Lepidium oleraceum) and seabird disturbance, guano fertilisation and seed dispersal.
2009 inaugural recipients
The first recipients of this award in 2009 were Dr Peter Heenan and Dr Rob Smissen, Landcare Research New Zealand Limited, PO Box 40, Lincoln 7640.
The approved research topic is ‘Conservation genetics and taxonomy of Convolvulus “glabrous” on the Awahokomo limestone outcrop, North Otago’.
The proposed research is “To determine the taxonomic status of a morphologically distinct convolvulus, apparently confined to a small area of the Awahokomo limestone outcrop in North Otago. Genotypes of all species of native Convolvulus will be compared with Convolvulus “glabrous” using AFLP fingerprinting to determine genetic relationships and variation”.